Despite the efforts of rescue workers and the solidarity of the population, three days after the extremely violent earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand, the death toll continues to rise. The latest figures report over two thousand dead, with rescue teams still digging through the rubble. Added to this are the difficulties in treating the thousands of wounded, due to a lack of adequate medical equipment, despite the gradual arrival of international aid. The internal conflict that has been ongoing since the 2021 coup d'état has in fact contributed to decimating the staff of the healthcare system.

Médecins Sans Frontières: "It is essential to also reach the most remote communities in Myanmar"

On Saturday, the United Nations also raised the alarm over a "severe shortage" of medical supplies: from "trauma kits" to blood bags, from anaesthetic products to several essential medicines. As if that were not enough, numerous hospitals and clinics have suffered serious damage as a result of the seismic event.

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Following the devastating 7.7 magnitude #MyanmarEarthquake, @UNICEF is mobilizing 80 metric tons of life-saving supplies, including health kits, medical supplies, tents and hygiene kits for children and families in need.

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♥ 25💬 9 30 mar 2025 · Apri su X →

Among those supporting the population is Médecins Sans Frontières (which has operated in the Asian nation since 1992). "The humanitarian organisation's teams (doctors, logisticians and specialists in water and sanitation activities) have arrived in Mandalay and in the southern part of Shan State to assess the needs of the population and respond to the emergency. Although it is still difficult to know the full extent of the damage and health needs in the worst-affected areas, due to communication blackouts and access barriers caused by the conflict, we are focusing on identifying the needs of the population and their access to water. It is essential that the most remote communities, about which less information is available compared to urban areas, are also reached and provided with life-saving medical assistance."

A post-apocalyptic situation in Mandalay

The earthquake was particularly devastating also because much of the Burmese population lives along the Sagaing Fault, the meeting point between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Contributing factors were also the intensity of the earthquake, which reached 7.7 on the Richter scale, as well as its shallow depth.

It was the most intense seismic event recorded in decades, felt clearly as far away as Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, approximately 1,200 kilometres as the crow flies from the epicentre, located in the centre of the Asian nation, just east of Monywa. In Mandalay, Myanmar's second most populous city, the earthquake destroyed roads, caused buildings to collapse and brought down bridges. According to reports by the Associated Press, the air in the city centre is becoming unbreathable due to the smell coming from the numerous bodies yet to be recovered.

The earthquake, the Sagaing Fault and the aftershocks

There have also been numerous aftershocks, some of them particularly strong. One of these, at 7:30 on Sunday morning, was so powerful (5.1 on the Richter scale) that it forced even rescue workers to flee damaged structures to safety, according to journalists on the ground. A similar tremor struck the area on Saturday evening as well.

The full scale of the catastrophe remains difficult to assess: "The overall extent of the damage is still hard to grasp," explains Guido Calvi, head of emergencies at Fondazione Avsi, a civil society organisation specialising in development cooperation and humanitarian aid, present in Myanmar since 2007. "Only now are the first official data coming in, but our colleagues in Shan State report villages where the proportion of damaged or destroyed buildings reaches 100 per cent. As a result, there are thousands of displaced people, some of whom have had to take shelter outdoors or in makeshift shelters. On Lake Inle, one of the worst-affected areas, there were a great many stilt houses that have collapsed into the water. There are truly vast numbers of people in need of help."

Avsi: "Bombing continues despite the earthquake"

Furthermore, many areas are not under the full control of the generals in power, who are fighting dozens of armed groups: "In Myanmar," Calvi continues, "there are currently 3.5 million displaced people and the conflict situation persists. Even now, with the earthquake, military operations have not stopped: we are receiving reports of bombardments despite the chaos. This also complicates humanitarian operations. Moreover, both sides in the conflict make extensive use of young people, including for manual labour that would now be extremely useful for clearing rubble and assisting rescue efforts. Instead, young people continue to be used for military purposes. So we do what we can — our staff were already on the ground and are still trying to reach some people in the most remote areas. But the communication difficulties existed even before the earthquake, and one can imagine what the situation is like now. Just consider that there are only two hours of electricity per day."

The Burmese military junta has issued an appeal for international aid. The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, responded that staff on the ground are fully mobilised and added that "other countries have also been affected," but that attention is naturally focused on Myanmar, namely "the most affected and most vulnerable country in the current situation."

Guterres's spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, indicated that the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, immediately unlocked 5 million dollars to support the population. "The earthquake compounds an already disastrous humanitarian situation, with 20 million people dependent on aid across the country, and 3.5 million refugees," Dujarric specified.

The United Nations mobilisation to support Myanmar

These concerns were echoed by the World Food Programme (WFP), whose deputy director in Myanmar, Sheela Matthew, explained: "The earthquake has come at the worst possible moment. One in four people is already facing a situation of severe food insecurity and simply could not afford another catastrophe." The WFP itself has begun distributing ready-to-eat food stocks available at its warehouses. But given that, according to the same UN programme, 15 million people were already living in conditions of food insecurity before the earthquake, the situation risks spiralling out of control in a short time.

"International aid has been requested, but the reality – warns Calvi – is that the country is closed: no one can enter. There is a mobilisation by the United Nations, but the whole thing is difficult to implement because obtaining a visa in Myanmar is very complicated. Efforts are being made to push for the approval of requests already pending, but for now everything remains at a standstill. We have therefore launched a joint effort to put pressure on the authorities to allow at least essential staff through." In the hope that the military logic of the Burmese autocracy will make room, at least now, for humanitarian needs.